user + number names - when are you going to get rid of them?

[BIWI]

This has been going on for months now - loads of users who never bother to change their initial username that you give them.

It's really hard to tell them apart and, frankly, it's a gift to goady fuckers/trolls and the like.

We never used to have this system, so why do we have to have it now?

And, more to the point, why do we still have it when lots of us have been complaining about it as well?!

No reply then?

I think replacing "user" with "newbie" would get people changing much sooner. Who wants to be "newbie2342123"?

Some posters with user numbers have reported they are unable to choose a name for themselves. I agree though it's hard to distinguish between them.

Yes I agree. Number names are just meh.

brilliant idea pax

Could they not be awarded randomly generated actual names - plucked from a baby name generator or something?

Too complicated?

Oh well - at least it would make them easier to tell apart on threads with more than one UserwithNumbers. Sometimes you get one sensible one, one goady one and one off their trolley but possibly actually means it one on the same thread...

It seems ridiculous to have user names that you can't differentiate between. I do tend to scroll on past especially if it's an OP.

there are loads of random name generators

I have to admit I never reply to any user number, because they are all similar and I can't be bothered to type all the different numbers. A name is much easier and I too don't understand why new users can't get a name.

Hi all,

Sorry for the late reply! We know it's massively annoying for many of you, but this is on the tech list. We don't have a time frame, unfortunately, but they are looking into it. Thanks for your patience

have they not been looking into it for months?
it makes it so hard going as they all seem to be one person (old lady emotion)

A month later and still no change.

How hard can this be?! Surely it's a simple matter to revert back to how people used to sign up.

I'm sick of reading dubious threads from 'user149xxxxx' because so many of them are goady and/or made up. It means that new, genuine posters often don't get taken seriously.

You could, MNHQ, at least give us an idea of a timeframe.

Totally agree with you BIWI.

I neither read nor post on threads that are started bu 'user123xxx'.

It can't be that difficult to change the sign up procedure.

Couldn't agree more.

I ignore them, just scroll past the posts as soon as I see user blah blah.

I think they are trolls and I like ignoring all their comments

Will try and get another update from tech on this - so far we know they're looking into it but that's about it at the moment. Sorry not to have any extra information at the moment; we know how frustrating that is.

Thanks Emmanuelle

Just to reiterate what Emmanuelle has said - we've spoken to tech today and they're working on it as we speak. Once we have a date for the update, we'll let you all know. Thanks for being so patient.

I'm pretty sure some regulars have chosen to change to user1234567....

For a lot of users you can't actually change the name as it's 'greyed out'. You have to contact MNHQ for them to tinker with your account first. I was a user for months for this reason.

I post on quite a few different forums with different interfaces and mumsnet.com is the only one with this problem. However it is the only one where you can change your name (unless you're user6821548)

The naming convention on this site is bizarre full stop. I've never been on a forum where you could name change so easily. The user12345 thing is ridiculous.

Bump! Come on MN this is lousy.

Hi, folks

These usernames won't be around forever, promise!

There has just been a pretty big redesign of the local websites and so tech is somewhat swamped at the moment, but we'll flag this again now.